Check our May’s book club selection by my friend actress/author Victoria Rowell; “Secrets of A Soap Opera Diva” in stores today.

Description
Calysta Jeffries is the hottest black actress in daytime and the diva of the soap opera world, known for her role as Ruby Stargazer on television’s most popular soap opera, “The Rich and the Ruthless.”

After fifteen years, three returns from the dead, two failed pregnancies, one alien abduction, and overcoming retrograde amnesia, Calysta still hasn’t managed to snag the biggest award in daytime drama: the Sudsy. Now is supposed to be her moment. But Calysta’s onscreen/offscreen rival Emmy Abernathy wins the award for the fourth time. The drama begins when journalist Mitch Morelli asks Calysta for a quote after the award show and her true feelings for her costar slip out.

Ripped from the headlines of Soap Opera Digest and straight off of the television screen, Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva will give readers plenty to talk about as they try to guess where the real world ends and Rowell’s imagination begins.

http://www.secretsofasoapoperadiva.com/

Working Divas…put yourself in a position of POWER. Power in your life, Power in your career, and Power in your relationships with my radio sister and gospel artist Yolanda Adams. Each day before I end my show, I give you a power thought…motivation to keep you moving positively through your day. It was only fitting to select Yolanda’s book which will become another vessel for you to own your own power.

The host of the top-rated Yolanda Adams Morning Show and Grammy Award-winning recording artist now shares her inspiring, motivating “Points of Power” segment from her radio show in this empowering guide. Even if you’ve never heard Yolanda’s show, you’ll be inspired by this book as Yolanda explains her Points, offering material for meditation and a blueprint for harnessing the power of God. The Points of Power themes—including faith, love, forgiveness, confession, praise, confidence, prayer, peace, protection and victory—are here freshly presented in an entertaining collection of stories and anecdotes that will show you that God intends for you to be successful, victorious and happy. And, most importantly, how to get yourself there ! Enjoy!

What is your Power Thought?

Book clubs stand up! After a 10 year break from writing and getting her exhale on, Terry McMillian has written “Getting Happy,” the much anticipated sequel to her bestseller “Waiting to Exhale.” We have been ready for this one for a long, long time. My wish….a sequel to the movie with the original cast. Wouldn’t that be sweet. Let me not jump the gun….the book still has to make its way to the shelves.  Terri was recently in the Bahamas to chat about book being released in September. You know ”Getting Happy” will be a book club pick this fall. Check out the video.

What do you do to be happy?

Prosperity is Your Birthright is a book about aquiring and retaining prosperity. Many, if not most people want to be prosperous, but are not willing to make the mental, spiritual, and physical sacrifices needed to obtain prosperity to a noteworthy degree. This book outlines what is necessary for for obtaining prosperity, peace and wealth. As a result of reading Prosperity is Your Birthright, The reader will be forced to take a long hard look at themselves and determine if they are willing to take the steps necessary to be massively successful! The book is stimulating, thought-provoking, enlightening and inspiring. Enjoy!

For more on Dr. Mia Merritt log on her website Destined For Great Things.

Q&A with Author Anna Getty

Q: How can being green save you money?

Getty: When you use less you buy less. If we buy less ipso facto we save money.

Q: How does the book help to teach your kids to be green?

Getty: This book is about creating family traditions. This book is about being more green during a very wasteful time of year. If we incorporate our children into these new traditions of crafting with what we already have, making gifts and not buying gifts, we help our children become more green and more conscientious about respecting the planet. Children learn through example. If we make changes with our own wasteful habits , our children will adopt these changes as their own.

Q: What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Getty: Baking Christmas cookies with my daughter and her little friends.

Q: What is a good place to start if you are new to the green movement?

Getty: Start with easy doable steps. If you are not recycling, start recycling, if you still use stores plastic bags switch to paper (many paper bags are now made from recycled paper) or better yet bring your own cloth bags. Do one or two things and let them become a part of you rather then too many at once and then give up. In terms of the holidays, ditch the store bought wrapping paper. Most store bought wrapping paper uses virgin paper stock and toxic dyes or ink. Go for recycled wrapping paper or reuse paper (just be careful when you open gifts so you can save it to rewrap). Or find alternative ways of wrapping like using old maps or music sheets, or pages out of magazines or old newspapers and books.

Q: Are there any tips from the experts in the book that surprised you?

Getty: Darren Moore of www.ecovations.com surprised me with the information that having ones home Energy Star Home Performance tested could cut ones energy consumption in half. I also really loved Jeffrey Hollender of Seventh Generation’s tip about being reflective and appreciative during the holiday time.

Q: What’s your favorite recipe or craft from the book?

Getty: Hard to pick as I love so many of them but my favorite recipe hands down is the Trufled Goat Cheese Macaroni and Cheese and the Recycled Christmas Card Gift tags is pretty high up there in the crafts.

How did Sherri come up with the concept for her new book, “Permission Slips?” Watch the video and see if you can relate. I know I can. “Permissions Slips” is our book of the month for November. We have about a week left in the month so pick it up and let us know what you think.

I love this book by Sherri, she has hit the nail on the head with this one. From time to time we are not going to be the perfect friend, daughter, relative, significant other, or mother. So instead of letting the guilt consume you like watching your favorite celeb on “Dancing with the Stars”…give yourself a permission slip and move on!

Covering topics such as “It’s Jesus or Jail,”"Marriage, the Hard Way,”"Children: The Gift You Can’t Give Back,” and “All the Things I Don’t Know…And All the Things I Definitely Do,” stand-up comedienne, actress, and ABC’s The View co-host Sherri Shepherd comically chronicles her struggles to keep up with the many roles-professional, wife, mother, daughter, and friend-that women must play in today’s world. Sherri urges women to pursue their most important dreams and to never give up, but also let’s readers know that it’s okay to give themselves “permission slips” when things don’t always work out the way they want them to. As her many fans know, Sherri is never hesitant to speak from the heart, and her bubbly personality shines through in this delightful autobiography. Happy reading!

When was the last time you gave yourself a Permission Slip?

It is the career blueprint for today’s modern woman. Next Friday, Nicole will be in Miami to dish out her workforce tips and tricks in person at the LimitedDadeland from 6pm-9pm. But you must RSVP! Here is the rundown…see you there. (Feel Free to Forward)

Click on the RSVP, fill out the on-line e-vite and type “Working Divas” by “How did you hear of GOT”, and you are ready to go!

RSVP NOW

What
The event of the season wrapped around Nicole Williams’ new book, “Girl On Top: Your guide to turning Dating Rules into Career Success.

When
October 23, 2009
6-9pm

Where
The Limited Dadeland
7535 Kendall Drive
Miami, FL 33156

Why?
Because no one does their best work on the bottom. And if that’s not enough, how ‘bout:
A filled to-the-brim gift ball (full of stuff you’ll actually use)
An exclusive 40% discount on The Limited’s brand new business-chic attire (come on, you know you love a good mall)
Free-flowing Girl On Top Cocktails (because if all else fails, at least you’ll leave a little tipsy)
Career advice from Nicole Williams (hey, people pay big bucks for her words of wisdom)

RSVP
RSVP NOW

Coming out on top is what it’s all about. Nicole will teach you how to deal with the multiple personalities at work and becoming a social superstar at company events to acing an interview and winning tips on negotiating a raise. My favorite chapters are “Keep it Brief” and “Play Hard to Get”. Ladies if we only knew to use dating tips in the workplace years ago, we would be “Girls On Fire” by now.

Nicole introduces twenty tried-and-true dating rules such as “Don’t Give Away the Milk for Free” and “Don’t Waste the Pretty” and reveals how they can be applied just as effectively in the office.

This is a must have book for all Working Divas….stop wasting your pretty and pick up, “Girl on Top” today.

For more on Nicole Williams check out her website at www.girlontopbook.com

Welcome to the Re-Launch of the Karen Vaughn Book Club. I can’t wait to curl up on the couch with a good book and chat with you about it. This month we are going to read “Bring on the Blessings” by Beverly Jenkins. The book club will be featured on the WD network and my radio website KarenVaughn.com.

Synopsis Bernadine works hard to clinch a scholarship to UCLA, where she meets and marries Leo Brown. He goes on to become a high-powered quality control manager for one of the nation’s leading oil companies and a very wealthy man, and Bernadine never has to worry about money again. But love is another story. When Bernadine learns Leo’s been stepping out, she divorces him, retaining half his assets. But all that money can’t fill the emptiness in her heart. So when Bernadine learns her Kansas hometown is in dire financial straits and has been put up for sale by Mayor Trenton July, she decides to buy it. Though God only knows how the residents will react when she also decides to live there in this moving novel of faith and rediscovering hope.